Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies Named Best U.S. Aquarium!

Georgia Aquarium takes second place

There's something undeniably captivating about the world beneath the surface of the water, where colorful and sometimes bizarre life forms survive in seascapes vastly unfamiliar to our terrestrial senses. Aquariums make these marine worlds more accessible by showcasing aquatic plants and animals, educating visitors on the vital importance of these unique habitats and helping to conserve and protect our planet's waters.

Ripley's Aquarium of the SmokiesGatlinburg,Tenn.

The stunning scope of life living in our seas is on colorful display at the Gallery of the Seas inside Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies in downtown Gatlinburg. Piranhas and poisonous dart frogs dwell within the Tropical Rainforest, while guests can come nose to beak with penguins in Penguin Playhouse, a massive indoor/outdoor habitat where the birds can be spotted from above and below the water.Photo courtesy of Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies

Georgia AquariumAtlanta

The crown jewel at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta is the Ocean Voyager exhibit, where guests can watch whale sharks, manta rays and giant schooling fish swim past 22- to 33-foot tall viewing windows within the same exhibit. Other guest favorites include a stellar penguin exhibit, as well as many marine mammals – beluga whales, bottlenose dolphins, sea otters and California sea lions.Photo courtesy of Georgia Aquarium

Dallas World AquariumDallas

The large, diverse collection at the Dallas World Aquarium occupies a series of naturalistic exhibits, including kelp beds and coral displays. A tunnel links the two original buildings to the seven-story Orinoco Secrets of the River – an exhibit highlighting the habitats of the South American rain forest, from the canopy to the riverbed. Guests can spot toucans, tamarins, tree boas, teals and free frogs, along with sloths, stingrays, sakis and swans.Photo courtesy of oddharmonic / Flickr

Audubon Aquarium of the AmericasNew Orleans

The aquarium displays and animal interactions available at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans take guests along the Mississippi River, below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico and deep into the Amazon rain forest. The sizable Gulf of Mexico exhibit features sharks, rays and tarpons in a stunning setting; other guest favorites include sea otters, penguins, sea turtles and even owls.Photo courtesy of Audubon Nature Institute

Tennessee AquariumChattanooga, Tenn.

Visitors to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga trace the journey of water from the mountains through the Appalachian Cove Forest, into the Ohio River where it joins with the Mississippi that flows into the Gulf of Mexico. A broad array of wildlife highlights ecosystems along the way, including alligators, otters, snapping turtles, catfish and sunfish. Featured habitats – delta swamp, tropical rain forest, spiny forest and reefs – provide homes for frogs, penguins, sharks, jellyfish, cuttlefish and lemurs, while professional keepers and divers happily share their expertise with visiting guests.Photo courtesy of Michael A. Schwarz, USA TODAY

Newport AquariumNewport, Ky.

Encompassing a million gallons of water and thousands of animals from around the world, the Newport Aquarium operates the first shark ray breeding program in the world. The Amazon Tunnel allows visitors to walk along the floor of the Amazon River during its flooded season, while the Dangerous & Deadly exhibit showcases some of the world’s most lethal aquatic creatures. Eight species of crocodiles from four different continents can be seen at Gator Alley – one of the most diverse crocodilian collections in the country.Photo courtesy of Cincinnati USA

Texas State AquariumCorpus Christi, Texas

The Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi celebrates the marine life of the Gulf of Mexico by replicating an array of habitats, including shoreline, bay, estuary and deep waters – most notably the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. This coral reef display teems with colorful sea life, like angelfish, rays, filefish and butterflyfish, and divers entertain with during daily presentations. Visitors to the aquarium have the opportunity to interact with stingrays, crabs and urchins while observing otters, dolphins, hawks, owls, parrots and coatimundis.Photo courtesy of The McGee / Flickr

Adventure AquariumCamden, N.J.

Many surprises await visitors at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, including hippos, the world’s smallest species of penguin and the world’s largest species of hammerhead shark. Guests can reach out and touch sharks, sting rays, sea stars and horseshoe crabs. Live diver presentations and keeper interactions with sea turtles and hippos enhance the visitor experience.Photo courtesy of R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia

Monterey Bay AquariumMonterey, Calif.

Known for their groundbreaking exhibits, including the first display of a live kelp bed and innovative exhibits on jellyfish and large ocean schooling fish, Monterey Bay Aquarium has long been a leader in the aquarium industry. Their collection of marine life from the bay is extensive and accompanied by engaging interpretive pieces. Stand-out exhibits feature sand dollars, brittle sea stars, schooling tuna, sharks and sea turtles.Photo courtesy of Monterey Bay Aquarium

Aquarium of the PacificLong Beach, Calif.

The Aquarium of the Pacific – the largest aquarium in Southern California – displays over 500 species from the largest body of water on the planet, the Pacific Ocean. More than 150 sharks populate Shark Lagoon, including toothy sand tiger sharks and whitetip reef sharks, and guests can even feel the slippery skin of bamboo and epaulette sharks. The largest exhibit, the Tropical Reef Habitat, houses more than 1,000 fish, colorful coral, sea turtles and sharks. The NOAA Science on a Sphere exhibit offers imagery and real-time ocean and weather data.Photo courtesy of Visit California/Hub

These 10 aquariums, accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and voted to the top by 10Best readers, represent the best in the U.S. for their high quality exhibits and visitor interactions.

The Experts

Debra Erickson

Debra Erickson is President of the International Zoo Educators Association. She is also the Marketing Director for San Diego Zoo Global, Executive Director of Atlantis Blue Project Foundation and Accreditation Chair for Atlantis, Paradise Island. She has been in the conservation, interpretation, marketing, communications, and education fields for 30 years and has worked for the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Atlantis, Paradise Island, Atlantis, The Palm, SeaWorld San Diego, SeaWorld Orlando, S.E.A. Aquarium and Dolphin Island.
Debra has held a wide variety of positions in the education and interpretation field including Education Director at San Diego Zoo Safari Park, SeaWorld Orlando, and Atlantis, Paradise Island. She has created interpretive plans for a wide variety of exhibits including Manatees: The Last Generation, Wild Arctic, and Tiger Trail which have all won the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums Top Exhibit Honors award. Currently she is leading the effort to provide San Diego Zoo Kids, a 24-hour, commercial-free television channel, to 300 children’s hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses around the world.
Having worked in over 40 countries during her career and seeing the challenges that many developing countries face, Debra has a keen commitment to conservation. She worked as Executive Director and Conservation Director for Orangutan Foundation International and was responsible for developing and implementing the conservation plan for Tanjung Puting National Park. Debra continues her conservation work through the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation where she funds marine conservation projects and mentors conservationists in the field.
Debra received her B.A. in Biology from Scripps College and her M.A. in Educational Technology from San Diego State University.

Debra Erickson

Debra Erickson is President of the International Zoo Educators Association. She is also the Marketing Director for San Diego Zoo Global, Executive Director of Atlantis Blue Project Foundation and Accreditation Chair for Atlantis, Paradise Island. She has been in the conservation, interpretation, marketing, communications, and education fields for 30 years and has worked for the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Atlantis, Paradise Island, Atlantis, The Palm, SeaWorld San Diego, SeaWorld Orlando, S.E.A. Aquarium and Dolphin Island.
Debra has held a wide variety of positions in the education and interpretation field including Education Director at San Diego Zoo Safari Park, SeaWorld Orlando, and Atlantis, Paradise Island. She has created interpretive plans for a wide variety of exhibits including Manatees: The Last Generation, Wild Arctic, and Tiger Trail which have all won the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums Top Exhibit Honors award. Currently she is leading the effort to provide San Diego Zoo Kids, a 24-hour, commercial-free television channel, to 300 children’s hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses around the world.
Having worked in over 40 countries during her career and seeing the challenges that many developing countries face, Debra has a keen commitment to conservation. She worked as Executive Director and Conservation Director for Orangutan Foundation International and was responsible for developing and implementing the conservation plan for Tanjung Puting National Park. Debra continues her conservation work through the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation where she funds marine conservation projects and mentors conservationists in the field.
Debra received her B.A. in Biology from Scripps College and her M.A. in Educational Technology from San Diego State University.

Kyle McCarthy

Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of Family Travel Forum, the trusted resource for family vacation planners since 1996. FTF’s award-winning publications (MyFamilyTravels.com, America’s Most Popular Family Vacations, and The Family Vacationist) provide expert and user reviews of global family vacations ranging from eco-adventures to city breaks, multi-generational cruises, resorts, theme parks and more. Each spring, FTF runs a Teen Travel Writing Scholarship for students 13-18 who blog about their trips to win cash grants. Through FamilyTravelConsulting, she advises the travel trade on ever-changing family needs, smarter marketing and conferences. Ms. McCarthy, author of a dozen Frommer’s guidebooks, also contributes to US News, CNN and other publications. She can be found on most social networks @familytravel4um.

Kyle McCarthy

Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of Family Travel Forum, the trusted resource for family vacation planners since 1996. FTF’s award-winning publications (MyFamilyTravels.com, America’s Most Popular Family Vacations, and The Family Vacationist) provide expert and user reviews of global family vacations ranging from eco-adventures to city breaks, multi-generational cruises, resorts, theme parks and more. Each spring, FTF runs a Teen Travel Writing Scholarship for students 13-18 who blog about their trips to win cash grants. Through FamilyTravelConsulting, she advises the travel trade on ever-changing family needs, smarter marketing and conferences. Ms. McCarthy, author of a dozen Frommer’s guidebooks, also contributes to US News, CNN and other publications. She can be found on most social networks @familytravel4um.

Eileen Ogintz

Eileen Ogintz, a leading national expert on family travel, is the author of the Tribune Interactive syndicated column Taking the Kids that appears around the country, creator of the popular website TakingtheKids.com and co-chair of the TMS Family Travel Conference which draws top family travel influencers and major travel brands. She is the author of the 11-book Kids Guideseries; The Kid’s Guide to Acadia National Park is being released in April 2019. The Kid’s Guide to NYC is now in its 3d edition and The Kid’s Guide to Washington, DC the second edition.

Eileen Ogintz

Eileen Ogintz, a leading national expert on family travel, is the author of the Tribune Interactive syndicated column Taking the Kids that appears around the country, creator of the popular website TakingtheKids.com and co-chair of the TMS Family Travel Conference which draws top family travel influencers and major travel brands. She is the author of the 11-book Kids Guideseries; The Kid’s Guide to Acadia National Park is being released in April 2019. The Kid’s Guide to NYC is now in its 3d edition and The Kid’s Guide to Washington, DC the second edition.

Alan Sironen

Alan Sironen is the owner of Zoo Consultants International. Zoo Consultants International assists their clients in animal exhibit planning, zoo animal equipment development, exhibit blueprint review and animal transportation. Alan was employed for over 35 years at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. During his employment at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo he held positions as Zookeeper, Head Zoo Keeper, Assistant General Curator, Curator of Mammals, Curator of Mammalogy, and Curator of Large Mammals and Carnivores. Alan Sironen received a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Capital University in 1975 and a M.B.A. in International Business Administration from Baldwin Wallace College in 1986. Alan currently is a Professional Member of the Zoological Association of America and a Professional Associate Member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. He also serve on the Board of Global Conservation Connection.

Alan Sironen

Alan Sironen is the owner of Zoo Consultants International. Zoo Consultants International assists their clients in animal exhibit planning, zoo animal equipment development, exhibit blueprint review and animal transportation. Alan was employed for over 35 years at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. During his employment at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo he held positions as Zookeeper, Head Zoo Keeper, Assistant General Curator, Curator of Mammals, Curator of Mammalogy, and Curator of Large Mammals and Carnivores. Alan Sironen received a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Capital University in 1975 and a M.B.A. in International Business Administration from Baldwin Wallace College in 1986. Alan currently is a Professional Member of the Zoological Association of America and a Professional Associate Member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. He also serve on the Board of Global Conservation Connection.